China in talk with Columbia over transcontinental railway: Colombian president

BEIJING, Feb. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- The Chinese Government plans to cooperate with Colombia in building a 220km transcontinental railway which would link Colombia's Atlantic and Pacific coasts,according to a British newspaper.

The Financial Times quoted Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos as saying on Monday.

The project is treated as one of a series of Chinese proposals that would boost transport links with Asia and improve Colombia's infrastructure, the papersaid, citing documents it has obtained.

"It's a real proposal ... and it is quite advanced," President Santos said..

"I don't want to create exaggerated expectations, but it does make a lot of sense," he said, adding that Asia is the "new motor" of the world economy.

The estimated 7.6 billion U.S. dollar project will be operated by the China Railway Group.

The Panama Canal is now the main shipping route which connects the Atlantic and Pacific commercial intercourse. It represents roughly five percent of world trade, with 13,000 to 14,000 ships passing through it every year.